Saving the World
The next day dawns with a cloudy sky as I head to the special projects building and find it still swarming with hundreds of workers churning out the weapons, tools, and armor needed for the coming battle. A supervisor is quick to notice me.
“Mr. Silverspeak! Is there something we can help you with?”
“Actually, yes. I was curious if there's been any progress on the stealth suits.”
The supervisor smiles. “There has. Would you like to see a demonstration?”
I'm taken to one of the testing rooms and watch as a model enters with the suit covering everything except her head. A pull of the hood over her head, and a tap of a small button causes the suit to shimmer and disappear. The room looks empty, except for the occasional ripple that I glimpse in the corner of my vision, and that's when I'm trying to see anything. A casual observer – like a bored guard – would see nothing out of the ordinary.
“This version of the suit features improved invisibility,” the supervisor explains. “The spells used to infuse magic in the fibers has been refined to the point where users can walk, jog, and even run with minimal risk of being seen. However, we can only produce enough to outfit the army's most elite units; producing the suits is a very labor and time-intensive process.”
“I see... I was wondering, may I take one of these suits to show Princess Luna?”
“Of course. Why not two? That way, both Luna and her sister can have one."
As the suits are given to me in a nondescript case, I have to resist pinching myself; this was almost too easy.
***
Back in my bedroom, I lock the door before laying the suits on the bed and going through the weapons in my possession, selecting everything that's non-lethal. No matter what happens, I won't take the lives of those who are just doing their jobs.
I shake my head. I wish it didn't have to come to this. I wish I didn't have to do this. But if Princess Luna won't let me save my parents, then I'll have to do it myself.
With my weapons laid out, I gather every magazine and spare clip I have, and start to load cartridges and non-lethal bullets. It's an oddly calming sensation. I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be. I'm not even as worried as I was before getting my horn in Manehattan. What happened last time was only for my own benefit. This isn't.
I finish the clips for my pistol. Putting them into a duffel, I work on the rifle clips.
My plan to stop the changelings is simple: I'll go to Glasseye and tell him that I want to change my request. Instead of a mechanical body, I want a horn, and I want it implanted tonight. He'll protest, of that I have no doubt, but I'll use my charm to make him comply. Once I have the horn, I'll use my charm to persuade the unicorns working on the Master Control Crystal to find not only my parents, but also Celestia and the Bearers, and then teleport them all to safety. With Celestia and the Bearers free, they can lend their abilities to stopping Chrysalis and ending this war. And even better, Princess Celestia, with her mastery of magic, can keep my parents alive while we search for a cure to Grogan's disease.
If I do this, if I save my parents, Celestia, and the others, then I save everyone.
I can end the war.
The last bullet is slipped into the final rifle clip. Putting them aside, I work on the cartridges for my taser.
Still, I have no delusions about what I'm doing; I'll be defying Princess Luna and endangering the best plan we have to stop Chrysalis and her minions. A single mistake could set the war back by months, and force us to instead send in the army to assault the hive and take it with brute strength. And while we may have the advantage when it comes to technology, armor, training, and weapons, there would still be deaths.
Any mistakes I make tonight will lead to blood... blood that will be on my hooves.
My hooves shake. A cartridge falls to the bed.
Families will be torn apart. Children and parents alike will lose each other, and hundreds, perhaps thousands of ponies will die.
I bite down and will my hooves to stop shaking. They finally do.
Luna will not take kindly to what I will do. It may not be treason, but it will come close. I will have defied the lawful orders of a princess who is taking the reasonable steps to ensure the safety of her subjects. I will subvert her orders for my own selfish cause. I may go back to prison... for how long, I cannot say. Years, no doubt.
Maybe longer.
The shaking comes again.
I don't want to do this, but Luna has forced my hooves. She can babble on all she wants on how I must not act, but she forgets one thing: I will never forgive myself if I don't act to save those I love. Even if I am to end my days on a dark cell, I can least die knowing that I saved my parents and Beakbreaker from a changeling that would stop at nothing to turn all of us into nothing but a source of food.
I shove all doubts aside as the last cartridges are loaded. I'll deal with the consequences when they come. And perhaps prison may not be my fate: Celestia and Luna saw my motivations for fighting Mangus and becoming an alicorn; I'm not doing this for power, wealth, or fame, but to save those I love.
My weapons are ready. I load them into a duffel bag and zip it shut. Years ago, I would be having second thoughts or shaking uncontrollably, but not now.
There's something beautiful to the simplicity of being out of options, for you know exactly what you have to do.
***
My penthouse is empty when I exit the bedroom; Beakbreaker hasn't arrived back from work yet, and I can't risk being here when she does. I head to the door, take the handle, and swing it open.
Beakbreaker's standing in the hall, her hoof held towards where the knob was a moment ago.
“Silverspeak?”
Buck.
Walking inside, Beakbreaker puts her bags down and wraps her legs around my neck. “You feeling okay?”
“Yes,” I nod. “Much so.”
Beakbreaker notices the duffel. “What's in the bag?”
“Something I need to take to the labs,” I say. “A prototype of something they'd like to have returned.”
“I see." She lets go. “Do you know when you'll be back? I thought a good dinner could cheer both of us up." She pulls out some groceries from her bag. “It's a soup my parents used to cook for me. Whenever I felt down, it made me feel so much better.”
I bite my lip. “It might be a while; there were a few other things the lab wanted me to look at. Might even take all night if they merit further study.”
“Oh... Well, I'll go ahead and cook anyway. It'll be ready for when you get back.”
I smile and head to the door. “I'm looking forward to it.”
“Silverspeak?”
“Yes?”
“You sure you're okay?”
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
Beakbreaker hesitates. “You've been so worried these past few days, and now you're unusually calm. Did something come up?”
Something tells me I should tell Beakbreaker the truth. It's strong... but I can't do it. Beakbreaker's a smart zebra; she'd find a way to talk me out of this. But if that happens, everything falls apart.
I can't let that happen.
“Yes,” I say. “But I'm not allowed to talk about it.”
Beakbreaker studies me.
Can she tell I'm hiding something?
I adjust her glasses. “I can't tell you how or why, but everything's going to turn out alright.”
Beakbreaker's eyes turn to the duffel.
She knows I'm hiding something from her.
I touch her chin. “Please... Trust me.”
Beakbreaker closes her eyes. “Just promise me one thing: Don't do something you'll regret.”
“I promise." I kiss her hoof. “I need to be going. I'll see you later, okay?”
She nods. “Please be safe, Silverspeak.”
I keep up my smile as I head to the door, pausing to look back as Beakbreaker goes to the window and watches the lights of the city below.
Savoring the moment, I slip out without a sound.
Beakbreaker... Forgive me.
***
No one gives me a second glance as I head to the elevator. I'm calm as I press the call button and ride the elevator to Genesis' jail. The guards aren't surprised at seeing me as I put my duffel into a locker and head through the checkpoint.
“Another library run?” one of the guards asks.
I nod. “I'll take Mangus myself. No need to have anyone come with us.” I turn on the charm. “He won't try anything. It wouldn't be in his own self-interest to betray us. Besides -” I indicate my bag. “- I have a taser in case he tries anything.”
“Well... he has been behaving well. I suppose you're right." The guard presses a button to open the door to the cell block.
I head to Mangus' cell; he's dozing on his bunk when I knock on the wall.
“Get up, Mangus. I have a task for you.”
Mangus groans as he tries to wake up. “What now? More books?”
I nod.
“Fine.”
I look back to the guards and nod. The door to the cell swings open. Mangus walks out, puzzled at the lack of guards.
“Come.”
I head to the elevator, Mangus following. His confusion grows as I take the duffel and we get in without any guards.
“No guards? You actually trusting me, now?” he asks as I send us up.
We stop at the library. I lead the two of us to the study room I've commandeered before. Once Mangus is inside, I lock the door.
“So, what books are you-”
“I'll take care of that,” I say as I open the duffel. “But you and I are doing something more... We're ending the war.”
“Wait, what?”
“I know where Chrysalis' hive is. Princess Luna is going to use a spell to take control of Chrysalis and her changelings, forcing themselves to surrender. By the time they're done, it'll be too late for my parents. There's a way to save them, but I can't do it on my own. That's why I'm offering you a deal: You help me end the war, and you'll get to go free in only a few days instead of a few months.”
Mangus is speechless. After several moments he laughs. “Is this a joke?”
I glare at him.
Mangus' grin fades. “You're... you're serious?”
I don't move.
Mangus stares at me. “Well... If I'm going to help, I want to know exactly how we're going to do it.”
“I'll explain it as we go along.”
“Nope. I'm not going to risk my neck, or my freedom, unless I know exactly what we're getting into. That's my terms.”
I don't have time to argue. The clock is ticking and I can't afford to waste even a minute. “Fine... I'm going to call in a favor with Glasseye and get a new horn. Once that happens, you're going to tell me how to brainwash other ponies, and I'll force the unicorns creating Luna's spell to instead find my parents, Celestia, the Bearers, and teleport them to safety. In case we're caught, you're going to detonate some sleeping bombs that will put the unicorns and their guards to sleep."
Mangus is intrigued. “And how do you know that I know how to brainwash others? Isn't that your specialty?"
"If the unicorns are too strong-willed, my charm will be worthless. And you're the type who would want to force others to obey you."
Mangus' silence tells me everything I need to know.
"You help me, and you go free," I ask. "I tell the Princesses nothing about your involvement, and use a spell to erase all memory of this conversation."
I extend a hoof.
"Do we have a deal?"
Mangus eyes me, then my hoof.
He thinks.
He shakes it.
"Good." I open the duffel. "Now put this on. We'll need it to get those bombs."
***
We wait ten minutes before leaving to give the librarians the impression that we were working. From there we leave the library, head to the closest bathroom, wait until there's nobody around, and then duck inside, where Mangus ducks into a stall while I stand guard.
Ten minutes pass. It shouldn't take this long to put a suit on.
“What's taking so long?” I whisper.
“This thing is a lot tighter than it looks.”
Great. Last thing I need to deal with is help squeeze Mangus into a skin-tight suit.
Fabric rustles as a zipper's pulled up. “Okay, done.”
The stall opens and Mangus emerges, covered head to toe in shiny fabric, with only his eyes visible through goggles built into the suit's head.
“How do I look?”
I tap a small button on his chest. The suit shimmers, and Mangus vanishes. “Like a ghost.”
“Sweet."
I check the clock over the sink. “Let's go. Stay close and don't bump into anyone.”
“Whatever you say.”
I leave the room, holding the door open for an additional second for Mangus to come out. “You out?”
“Yeah.”
I head down the hall to the elevator, glancing around me as I go. There's not even so much as a shadow to indicate where Mangus is. Need to stay careful; I wouldn't have dreamed of teaming up with Mangus to pull this off before tonight, but there's no one else I can trust to help me. Only a pony who has nothing to lose would dream of aiding me. But I have no doubt that Mangus would love to take revenge for his defeat at Manehattan; the knowledge that he'll be soon be free of Equestria is probably the only thing keeping him from double-crossing me.
“Still with me?” I whisper.
A nose bumps my rear.
“A little less direct, please.”
I reach the elevator and press the call button. I tap my hooves, keeping the mental image of my parents at the front of my thoughts.
This is for them.
The elevator dings as the doors finally open. I rush inside and hold a hoof out to keep the doors open before letting them close and pressing the button for the top floor.
“So what's the plan?” Mangus asks.
"We get the bombs first," I say, struck at how ridiculous it is to have a conversation with someone I can't even see. “I'll distract the guard, and you stuff the bombs into the duffel, then put the duffel inside the other suit and camouflage it. Once that's done, I go see Glasseye, get the horn, and we head for the lower levels and the crystal."
"Hmmm... We might actually be able to pull this off. But tell me, what's to stop me from betraying you and running away?"
"Because if you do, you'll be a wanted pony for the rest of your life. You'll always be looking over your shoulder, always on the move, never having a moment's rest. If you help me, then you're out here in only a few days and get to start your new life." I pull out the second stealth suit and toss it to the floor. “Let's just get this over with and go our separate ways.”
The suit gets lifted up and turned on, fading from sight.
The elevator comes to a stop and deposits us in one of the Monolith's higher levels. There's nobody around as I walk to the security station and head through the checkpoint, going slowly so Mangus can keep up with me.
Onyx comes up as I leave the checkpoint. “Silverspeak? Didn't expect to see you here.”
“I wasn't planning to come up, but curiosity has gotten the better of me, Captain." I turn on the charm. “I have a feeling something big is coming, and I want to assure myself that we're ready to fight if need be. With your permission, I'd like to see what you have in your armory.”
“Of course. It'd be my pleasure.”
Onyx Shield leads me past the monitors and work stations and deeper into the security wing. I glance around, but can't tell if Mangus is still with me.
We reach a door of thick, reinforced steel. Onyx enters a code and the door swings open. I follow him into a vault filled with shelves and hundreds of weapons.
“Is this all you have?” I ask.
“No. There are more military-grade weapons in the vaults near the manufacturing plants. This is what we use to defend the Monolith.”
“Do you still have any of those gas bombs? If the changelings attacked the tower, I imagine those would be quite useful.”
“Yes, right over here." Onyx Shield leads me to a large cabinet in the corner and opens it, revealing several of the gas bombs safely nestled inside.
“Very good." I need to distract him; I glance towards another cabinet. “What's over there?”
“Those?" Onyx Shield walks over. “Just some flash-bang grenades. We keep all the more potent weapons in these cabinets. Can't risk the gas bombs rolling all over and gassing everyone in case the city gets shaken up in case of engine failure.”
I try to glance back towards the gas bombs, but can't do so without looking suspicious.
Come on, Mangus.
“Well, your curiosity satisfied?”
I look over the cabinets as slowly as I can. “I imagine I can't take one of these for my own use?”
“Afraid not. We need to keep all these logged for security reasons."
“I see." I walk to the gas bomb cabinet and close the door, but I'm not at an angle to peer inside in a way that doesn't look forced. “Well, I'm satisfied." As Onyx leaves, I can only follow him and hope Mangus is doing the same.
“I trust that was informative,” Onyx says as he closes the door and locks it.
“Oh, yes. Thank you for indulging my curiosity.”
“Anytime. You need someone to show you the way out?”
“No thank you, I'm good. Thank you for your time." I leave with a smile, once again taking my time in walking out the checkpoint. Once I'm in the hall outside, I go to the elevator.
“Mangus? You there?”
Another hit in the rear.
“And you got the bomb?”
“I sure did.”
Good... one step down. Now the next step: Reach Glasseye and convince him to give me a horn.
I close the elevator doors. “Are you ready, Mangus?”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Strange; Mangus is awfully enthusiastic about this. Well, he's probably hoping for some action. He always did have a rather bloodthirsty streak in him. I'll have to be careful to hold him bac-
***
What? What... Oh, ow! My back! Oh, sweet Celestia, it hurts! I bite down, struggling not to cry out.
What... What happened?! I... I was in the elevator. I was about to head down to the crystal with Mangus, and I... I can't remember what happened next.
The pain comes again. I bite my lip. Okay, Silverspeak. Think. Focus. Figure out where you are. Let's see here... The ceiling... Wait... this is the ceiling in my penthouse. And there's the sofa, and the windows.
How did I get here?
“Silverspeak?”
I glance back. Mangus is behind me, his suit no longer in stealth mode.
“Mangus? What happened?" I wince. “How did I get here?”
He holds up his leg. “How many hooves do I have?”
“What?”
“Just answer the question.”
“One.”
“Good... Now, what's the last thing you remember?”
“We just...” I squeeze my eyes shut. “We were about to go see Glasseye after getting the gas bomb.”
“Good, your memory's intact... Except for one thing: I didn't get the bomb.”
Mangus holds up a taser.
“I got this, instead.”
What is this? Some kind of joke?
Wait. The end where the electric rods are stored is empty, meaning that they've been...
Fired.
Mangus grins.
I've only got one chance to stop Mangus; a surprise attack will knock him back, giving me time to... Wait. Why can't I move?!
I look down and realize that Mangus hasn't reloaded the taser because I can't fight him. My legs are bound with strands after strands of tape. I rear back to scream, but my vision is suddenly filled with the sharp blade of a kitchen knife.
“Shhh...” Mangus whispers. “You make so much as a squeak and I'll cut out your eyes. Got it?”
Oh Celestia... Oh no, no, no, no!
“That's a good little pony,” Mangus whispers. “Play nice, and this will be so much easier for all of us.”
Reloading his taser, Mangus walks to the phone and dials a number. “Hey, it's me.”
I should scream for help. That would bring security running, but even if guards are upstairs or in the hallway outside, all Mangus needs is a few seconds to run over and jam that blade into my eyes, taking my sight away forever.
“Yeah, he's here... Yeah, he's not going anywhere... As you wish." Mangus hangs up and sits on the sofa, inspecting his knife with a wicked smile on his lips.
There's a knock at the door.
“Looks like we've got company."
Mangus walks out of my sight. I hear the door open as someone walks in. I strain to turn and yell at whoever's in here to run, that whatever Mangus has told him is a lie and they-
Wait... Stonehoof?
“Silverspeak, I'd like you to meet a dear friend of mine,” Mangus says. “Silverspeak, Stonehoof. Stonehoof, Silverspeak.”
Stonehoof regards me, unconcerned about seeing Luna's emissary tied up on the floor.
“Stonehoof?” I ask. I can't help it, I have to say something. I have to know why she's-
Stonehoof smiles. It's the first time I've seen her do so. But why?! It doesn't make sense. Why in heaven's name is Glasseye's guard happy to see me like-
The darkness of the room vanishes as green light floods forth from Stonehoof's horn. I have to turn away, squeezing my eyes shut against the light. When it finally fades, I have to blink several times to clear my vision. Turning, I...
No... Oh no.
It can't be!
It just can't be!
Where Stonehoof stood just a moment ago, Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings stands in her place.
Mangus smiles.
Queen Chrysalis walks over. She leans down to look me in the eye. There is no compassion in those dark eyes, no warmth or tenderness, only a cold hunger that demands to be fed, no matter the cost.
“So this is Silverspeak, famed pony of the Manehattan incident.”
"Poor, poor Glasseye," Mangus sighs. "He has no idea his most beloved servant is long gone. Not since Queen Chrysalis and I-”
“Enough!” Chrysalis says. “We have no time for your tales, Bluehorn. We have little time as it is." She turns to me. “I've come a long way to be here, pony. Ever since this war began I knew that Genesis would have the weapons to help me win it. I know of the Crystal, and of Luna's plan to force my surrender. You're the one who's going to stop that plan.”
I don't know if it'll work, but I turn on my charm to full blast, finally finding my voice. “No. I won't. You've failed, changeling, and I'll never-”
A burst of magic clamps my mouth shut.
“Bluehorn warned me of your charm, pony. It won't work against me.”
I can't get my mouth open! I struggle, but it's like my teeth have been bonded together with cement!
“You will give me your greatest weapon, and don't think you can resist me. Everyone has a breaking point. For some it's pain. For others it's being brought to the point of death. And for others it's the threat of mutilation.”
Mangus twirls his knife.
“I could spend time learning what makes you break, pony, but Bluehorn told me your greatest weakness." Chrysalis leans in close, her rancid breath washing over me. “Tell me... Do you love your parents?”
No... oh no, she couldn't!
“We followed you into that ice cream parlor,” Mangus says, “and overheard your little conversation. We-”
“I!”
Mangus bites his lip. “- Chrysalis realized two sick parents would be the perfect hostages, so-”
“I ordered my remaining changelings to attack and carry them away... and to inflict a few bruises on both of us for good measure,” Chrysalis says as she circles me like a shark on the hunt. “For the moment, your parents are alive. But why stop there?"
Her horn lights up, and something's dragged across the floor.
“Why have two hostages when you can have three?”
No! Not Beakbreaker! She's... Oh thank Celestia, she looks okay! Unconscious, maybe, but alive and unhurt.
“She's not dead,” Chrysalis says. “Only in a deep, magical sleep.”
Beakbreaker's dumped to the floor. Mangus instantly presses his knife to her throat.
“But only you can decide if she'll wake into a dream or a nightmare.”
This... This can't be happening! It has to be a dream, a nightmare, something I can wake up from! I have to wake up! Come on, Silverspeak, wake up, wake up!
“I will get that crystal, pony. It is inevitable. The only question is how much you're willing to watch your little marefriend suffer. Tell me, shall we slice the skin from her body? Cut out her eyes? Rip out her tongue? Perhaps all three? I will do that, Silverspeak, and I will do it to your parents until you give me what I want.”
I clamp my eyes shut. I have to wake up!
Unseen forces grip my eyelids and force them open as Chrysalis studies me. “You think I'm a monster, don't you?”
Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm-
“Do you think I'm a monster, pony?"
Celestia, what do I do?!
“Answer the question.”
What in tartarus is this?! What am I supposed to do?! Nod? Shake my head? What happens if I give an answer she doesn't like?!
Chrysalis snaps her hooves, and Mangus readies his knife.
I shake my head as fast as I can.
“I think you're lying, pony. What do you think, Bluehorn?”
“I think he's a grade A liar, Your Highness.”
Chrysalis turns back to me. “Let's try this again... do you think I'm a monster?”
I nod.
“I thought so. So typical, you ponies: you call everyone who doesn't believe in your precious friendship a monster. But you see, pony, I am no monster. You who are the monsters. You have no right to hate me, but I have every right to hate you. For decades my changelings and I have wandered in a world that feared and hated us. I lost thousands to hunger; their lifeless corpses still lie out in the wastes, and those I have left are starving." Chrysalis leans in close, those horrible eyes inches from my own. “I will do anything to save them. That's why I am no monster, pony." She spits the words. “You are the monsters, and now you will suffer the consequences.”
No! No, don't listen! I can't give in! I can't give Chrysalis the crystal no matter what she does!
“You don't believe me? Fine. Bluehorn?”
Mangus glides the tip of his knife over Beakbreaker's flank, and a drop of blood trickles down Beakbreaker's leg.
A grin, and the knife goes in harder.
The trickle becomes a stream.
I try to scream, but nothing comes out.
“It will end when you chose to end it, pony. Give me the crystal, or her suffering will haunt you forevermore.”
Celestia, what do I do?! What do I do?! If I help her, Chrysalis will use the crystal to brainwash and control everyone in all of Equestria, plunging us into a nightmare from which we could never escape!
“Bluehorn, our guest requires more persuasion... make sure his zebra friend never sees anything ever again.”
Mangus gives the biggest grin I've ever seen. “My pleasure.”
NO!
I thrash my head up and down as fast as I can.
“Wait." Chrysalis leans in close. “So you will serve me?”
I don't have a choice. I want to resist, but Chrysalis will torture Beakbreaker to death, and then my parents, and I'll be forced to watch it all, and to hear their screams in my dreams for the rest of my days.
Silently begging Luna and Celestia's forgiveness, I close my eyes and nod.
The resulting silence is broken by a pleased hiss. “A wise choice, pony.”
Magic severs my bonds, and my legs go free.
“From this day on, you serve me, pony. Your life as you knew it is finished. Friends, family, dreams, all gone. Your life belongs to me." Chrysalis smiles. “Do as I command, and be rewarded.... defy me, and be punished." Chrysalis stands to her full height. “Now, kneel before your new Queen.”
Shaking, I do as I'm commanded.
Chrysalis' hoof goes beneath my chin, and I try not to shudder at its cold touch.
“As a reward for your loyalty, I will return your parents to you. They will be found near Saddle Lanka tomorrow morning and brought aboard."
The force binding my mouth vanishes.
“Now, I know you're Luna's emissary, which means you have a way to contact her. Where is it?”
“Under the bed,” I mutter.
Chrysalis nods to Mangus, who goes into the bedroom and returns moments later with the orb. Chrysalis floats it over and looks over the smooth surface. “Such a useful device... is this the only way the two of you can talk?”
“Yes.”
Chrysalis's horn glows, and a bolt of energy blows the orb apart. “Bluehorn.”
“Yes, my queen?”
“I'm going to investigate the other rooms. Keep a watch over the zebra." Chrysalis heads into the master bedroom, leaving me alone with Mangus, his knife still poised over Beakbreaker's eye.
“You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment,” Mangus says. “To finally experience it...” He licks his lips. “It's so good.”
I shake, helpless and full of impotent rage. There's so many things I want to say, insults I want to yell, and to take that knife and do to Mangus what he almost did to Beakbreaker... but I can't. Not when Mangus still has his knife pressed to Beakbreaker's eyelid.
“You know, Silverspeak, I had lot of time to think when I was in that dungeon, and I realized something: I was way too brash and forceful when I tried to become an alicorn. I needed to be like you: sneaky, willing to lie, to manipulate others to get what I wanted. And now I have.”
“And just what do you want?” I growl.
Mangus laughs. “What do you think? To prove to everyone that I really am the best.”
“You'll never be the best, Mangus. Twilig-”
“Princess Twilight? The Bearers? Celestia? Well, I'll let you in on a secret: they're being held captive. I'm free. Guess that makes me the winner." He grins. “Chrysalis got me out of that dungeon. She helped me get here. And for helping her, she promised me the opportunity to rule this land with her, and I will. I'll make sure everyone knows who's boss."
Mangus leans towards me, grinning. “Equestria had its day in the sun, but now the sun is setting. Tomorrow, night will fall on Equestria, and everything you fear will come true.”
That grin gets bigger as Queen Chrysalis returns from the bedroom. “Any trouble, my Queen?”
“None. There's no way for my new minion to communicate with the Princess.”
“Then what shall we do next?”
“Begin the next phase of our plan. For the time being you must remain a prisoner, but when the time is right I shall release you." Chrysalis turns to me, her horn glowing. "I imagine you've had a long day, pony. You need your rest. In fact, I insist on it!”
Every part of me wants to attack the Queen and her spineless minion when they're amused at my helplessness, and I open my mouth to scream in rage and fear.
That fear is the last thing I feel before a flash of green plunges me into darkness.
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Yay, new chapter.
... Mangus you ass! Damn... talk about a hopeless situation.
New chapter and the update showed up! Woo!
Called it, I said his plan involved mind control and you denied it. I was correct, yes!
That's it? No anti-betrayal magic, nothing? The only thing she has over Silverspeak is the threat to his family. Are you kidding me?
That never works. I thought the queen might be smarter but I guess she's just an idiot bully, like Mangus.
Yes, it's not like Luna can enter the dreams of other ponies. It's not like she'd get suspicious once she detects that the crystal ball has been destroyed. It's not like Silverspeak being put to sleep by that spell is the perfect opportunity for her to enter his dreams. Why would anyone think that?
The whole purpose of the crystal ball was to put ponies to sleep into a shared dream and to 'ping' the princess that it's okay to enter the dream.
Anyway, you did a good job writing this chapter (as always) and I hope you're feeling better now.
The minute he got Mangus to help with the plan he was "going to do alone", it was so obvious he'd betray him. Like, really really obvious given what happened at the end of the last story. All he did was give Chrysalis access to using the mass mind-control chips.
The big question is, how is SIlverspeak going to end up looking like he does in the title image? It's either torture, or he's going to sneak away and cyborg himself in a last-ditch attempt to set things right.
And Mangus is so dead. You'd think he'd know, being the same kind of villain himself, that they tend not to share power and get rid of others once they're no longer useful.
And Silverspeak is even dumber than usual.
Well, the chapter did showed up.
That was pretty intense :O
6757016 He's clouded by emotion over his parents, and as such played right into Chrysalis and Mangus's plans.
Even he admits at this point that there's almost no chance they're still alive, anyway. And proof of life would mean nothing since Chrysalis is a known liar, and the "proof" would likely just be two changelings that are "too sick to speak" or something like that.
I think Mangus and Chrysalis killed both of them that day, and assuming Chrysalis doesn't do it first, I think Silverspeak would probably do what he should have at the end of the last story and finish him off. He did kill all of Mangus's "friends" and got away with it (mostly), so killing him wouldn't be that big a deal.
But yes, Silverspeak was a fool to both rush in on a plan and to trust Mangus, because now he'll get the blame for whatever happens since he was the only one with access to the Master Crystal.
Eigthy three weeks ago, i found myself skeptical about the continuation of this series.
And sadly, my skepticism was verified.
this is just....... so very forced dude. Honestly there is no reason whatsoever that luna released Mangus outside of betraying everyone, predictably. There is no reason whatsoever for the mind control chips, outside of having it a threat. Especialyl when non mind control chips would have been sufficient.
Hell after the finale it just shows how utterly foolish that idea is. Why rely on that when you can use potions and poultice to reveal whoy is or is not a changleing? It is a ridiculous concept that is utterly obsolete if one simply looks for a magical solution.
In addition, there is no logical reason why luna would not know something os wrong. She can dream walk at will. She could sense his distress. She would likely have it that the sudden destruction of that crystal ball would create some kind of signal to her.
I am just so disappointed here. The first story was far from perfect but its progression was more or less solid. Here however, the story is a mess. There is so much forced drama going on and forced threats and false threats all over the place. It is a distinct drop in storytelling quality.
I want to think that maybe Luna knows about this already or something, but considering how this story has progressed, i am expecting that she legitimately did not know, will end up cpatured herself, and a whole lot of other nonsense will be born from such an obvious mistake.
...fuck.
I mean you no disrespect, but this isn't nearly as gripping or enthralling as the first. I don't really feel like reading past the 'City in the Sky' chapter. In fact, I might just skip ahead to the ending.
6758999
I'm sorry you're not enjoying the story LordofMyth, but I can see where you're coming from. I really wanted to avoid a repeat of the first story when writing this sequel, and while I planned out everything before writing (though things did change as it went along), I admit that it hasn't gone as well as I hoped. I think part of the problem is that I needed a stronger, more imminent threat from the beginning, and should have thought through the magical aspects more carefully; in retrospect I shouldn't have had Luna be Silverspeak's contact for most of the reasons you've said, or even had her present at all (the reason Celestia and Luna didn't show up for most of the first story is that, with their magic and abilities, they could have ended it very quickly).
Again, I'm sorry this story hasn't turned out well for you, but I hope the last chapters can turn things around.
6762443
No disrespect taken, though if you want to skip ahead, I would recommend waiting to see if the next chapter works for you, as that's the point where things pick up speed and doesn't let up.
Still disappointed at the lack of cyborg
6758999 I get what you mean. This story is much different than the first one.
I just don't see how anything can end even remotely well. What I liked about the first story is that it was clearly about Silverspeak's misguided and selfish journey, but by the end he came out better and wiser. And even though he was going to jail, it was portrayed as a happy ending because there was still hope even after all he went through.
The very first chapter of this story undoes all that, and every one after that makes things much worse. His parents are probably dead, he's a slave to Mangus and Chrysalis, and all of Equestria is about to be mind-controlled or conquered and there's nothing he can do about it. Because there's apparently changelings watching him everywhere and will kill Beakbreaker if he so much as sneezes out of line, despite all the changeling detectors, which doesn't really make any sense unless they've been able to fool them all along.
Silverspeak clearly needs to do something though, because it's not like he and Beakbreaker (nor Mangus) will be kept alive after the "war" is over. Which I still think will lead to the story image in some way, where he'll (finally) decide to fight back.
6799268 The issue is that zero of the following events make any sense to begin with and much of luna's decisions seem guided by stupidity. Its not in character.
Far too many contrivances are made to cause to story to reach this point that it is just god damn implausible.
6758999 Fuck off already. You're just trying to troll now.
6799281
Disagree with that, there's very little to suggest Luna is particularly conniving in canon, and her demeanor towards Silverspeak being much more negative than seen in canon is easy to explain : She likes the main cast for various reasons, Silverspeak is basically a reformed violent criminal on probation.
The element bearers, two princesses and a baby dragon marching into the heart of darkness unescorted to negotiate with an entire race that has nothing left to lose. Allowing Mangus to redeem himself in proximity to the ponies he tortured, and allowing him to remain in the same city that houses Luna's crystal superweapon. Silverspeak, an ex-convict, being under minimal watch, nevermind that he's Luna's acting emissary to Genesis. Being given a sneaking suit in the face of his past burglary, regardless of his gold badge. Silverspeak, despite his comparatively tame past, being treat with less apparent trust by Luna than is afforded to Mangus. The code maker of the day (in this case, Silverspeak) being unguarded. Luna failing to put Silverspeak under guard (that I know of at this point) after she'd seen him agitated. Silverspeak, on the surface quite intelligent, gambling the whole of Equestria and his beloved on two terminally-ill parents who would, like every other pony, never approve of him hijacking the army through mind control. Mangus actually being let out of his cell without an armed escort. Chrysalis apparently staking her late war plans on Silverspeak and Mangus? Stonehoof continually causing the detector to glitch out without raising suspicion. Elements introduced and forgotten about (Cursed King's horn, arch-dragons or whatever), just to name a few.
Point being, stressing and questioning the small details at this point is an empty exercise. I'm willing to guess that most people who've read up to this point have continued to do so for the action and tension rather than for characterizations that particularly make sense. Instead of bringing your complaints up every chapter, compile them into an ordered post. Or better yet, PM and submit them to the author, who is pretty zen about polite criticism. And if you're just doing it to troll, then to everyone else: don't feed the trolls. Because seeing catfights between haters and defenders almost every chapter makes comments a chore.
7000685 I don't think that's accurate, because the key part to his minimal sentence was the fact that he wasn't violent. When Silverspeak attacked to hurt or kill, it was against Mangus and his goons, who were already hurting and killing and who would continue to do so indefinitely until stopped. This was proven beyond doubt by the memory scans. Apart from that, we were never told that Silverspeak was "reformed." He served two years in the upper levels of a black pit, only allowed some personal effects for good behavior, and never given therapy for psychological traumas and other issues which led him there in the first place.
Perhaps one reason Luna speaks to Silverspeak with occasional is that his situation may have reminded her a bit too much of her own quest for recognition in the past. Perhaps another is that her friend and sister (Twilight and Celestia), are missing, and she is dealing with having to run her nation at the same time as it plunges into war. I'd probably be a bit short as well.